PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Plymouth State University women's ice hockey team was picked to finish fifth as the Little East Conference (LEC) released its Preseason Coaches' Poll on Tuesday.
 
Plymouth State earned 27 points to place fifth, just behind VTSU Castleton (29). Defending champion and national semifinalist Norwich University received seven first-place votes to top the poll with 49 points. UMass Boston earned the remaining first-place vote to rank second with 42 points, followed by Southern Maine (34). Keene State (23) and New England College (13) slot sixth and seventh, respectively, ahead of first-year program WestConn, which rounded out the poll in eighth.
 
Head coach Ben Chipman begins his fourth season behind the bench after guiding the Panthers to a 12-14-0 record last winter. After starting conference play with six straight losses, Chipman's squad rebounded to finish 6-12-0 in league play and qualify for the inaugural LEC Tournament as the sixth seed. Despite outshooting Southern Maine in the first round, the Panthers fell to the Huskies, 3-0. Chipman will rely on his 10 seniors to provide leadership and experience as the team looks to build on last season's postseason appearance.
 
Leading the senior class are Grace Bonnell (Madison, Wis.) and Emily Gerrie (Littleton, Colo.), who tied for the team lead with 17 points apiece last season. Bonnell, a defenseman who appeared in all 26 games, earned All-LEC First Team honors after recording six goals and 11 assists with a +5 rating. Gerrie also recorded six goals and 11 assists and needs just six more assists to set the program's career assists record. She is also within 18 points of the program's career points record.
 
The Panthers also return two All-Rookie Team selections from last season in sophomore forward Lisi Palmer (Brunswick, Maine) and goaltender Jorja Moore (Penticton, British Columbia). Palmer tallied 14 points and led the team with a +6 rating, while Moore posted a 2.01 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage.
 
Plymouth State opens the season with three consecutive road games, beginning with a visit to the University of New England on Oct. 31. The Panthers begin conference play Nov. 6-7 with games at UMass Boston and Southern Maine before welcoming Norwich to Hanaway Rink for the home opener and annual Salute the Troops game on Nov. 13.